JPH0159353B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Object of the Invention] (Industrial Application Field) The present invention relates to a vacuum processing apparatus, and in particular, a combination of multilayer sputtering, reaction sputtering, bias sputtering, sputtering, DC sputtering, RF sputtering, etc. Or it relates to equipment that can be used for etching and sputtering.

(Prior Art) Conventionally, as a sputtering apparatus for performing multilayer (three-layer) sputtering, for example, the one shown in FIG. 2 is known.

1 in the figure is a chamber. An inlet 3 for transferring the wafer 2 is provided on the side wall of the chamber 1.
A rotatable carrier 4 on which the wafer is propped up is provided in the center. Further, on the inner wall of the chamber 1, targets 5a, 5b, 5 for forming each sputter layer on the wafer are provided.
A cover 6 is provided for each target 5a to 5c. These covers 6
This is to prevent particles from the targets 5a-5c from adhering to other targets 5a-5c.

However, according to the prior art, when performing sputtering using a predetermined target (for example, 5a),
Particles from this target 5a adhere to other targets 5b and 5c regardless of the presence of the cover 6, making it impossible to sputter with high precision when sputtering using these targets 5b and 5c. In addition, since each sputtering is performed in the same chamber 1, sputtering can only be performed with the same pressure.
This leads to a decrease in sputtering work.

Sputtering work is complicated.

(Problems to be solved by the invention) The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and
The purpose of the present invention is to perform sputtering or etching of predetermined particles on a wafer to obtain a wafer with desired characteristics, and to provide a vacuum processing apparatus with high work efficiency that allows processing under different pressure conditions in each vacuum processing chamber. .

[Structure of the invention]

(Means for Solving the Problems) The present invention provides an intermediate chamber between the vacuum processing chambers via a hermetic gate valve, and maintains the degree of vacuum in the intermediate chamber higher than that in the vacuum processing chamber. This allows sputtering or etching of predetermined particles onto a wafer to obtain a wafer with desired characteristics, and allows processing under different pressure conditions in each vacuum processing chamber.

That is, the present invention provides a plurality of vacuum processing chambers in which film deposition or etching is performed on a wafer, and a sealing gate provided between these vacuum processing chambers, and a vacuum degree lower than that of the vacuum processing chambers. The gist of the present invention is to include an intermediate chamber with a high vacuum and a means for creating a high vacuum in the intermediate chamber.

(Function) In the present invention, the degree of vacuum in the intermediate chamber is set higher than that in the vacuum processing chamber, so even if particles from spatter remain in the vacuum processing chamber, the gate valve can be opened to remove the wafer. When attempting to transfer from a predetermined high-vacuum processing chamber to another high-vacuum processing chamber, those particles are discharged to the intermediate chamber, making it possible to perform desired sputtering or etching on the wafer, thereby obtaining a wafer with excellent characteristics. Can be done.

(Example) An example of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG.

11 in the figure is a sputtering device. This device 11 includes a load chamber 12, first to fourth sputtering chambers (vacuum processing chambers) 13, 14, 15, 16.
and an unloader chamber 17 are provided. Also,
Intermediate chambers 18, 19, and 20 are provided between the load chamber 12 and the sputter chambers 13 to 16, and the load chamber 12, the unloader chamber 17, and the sputter chambers 13, 1
An intermediate chamber 21 is provided between the six spaces.

The loader chamber 12 is a chamber in which a cassette containing wafers is placed, and the first sputter chamber 13
A gate valve 22a is provided on the side. Further, gate valves 22b and 22c are provided in the first sputtering chamber 13, gate valves 22d and 22e are provided in the second sputtering chamber 14, and gate valves 22d and 22e are provided in the third sputtering chamber 15.
The fourth sputtering chamber 16 is provided with gate valves 22h and 22i, and the unloader chamber 17 is provided with a gate valve 22j.

The intermediate chambers 18 to 20 are connected to each other at the upper part, and an exhaust port 23 is opened by the operation of a pump (not shown).
The interior of each intermediate chamber is kept under high vacuum. Similarly, an exhaust port 24 is also provided in the intermediate chamber 21.
is installed. In addition, during operation, the intermediate chamber 18~
The degree of vacuum in the sputter chamber 21 is set higher than that in the sputter chambers 13 to 16 and the unloader chamber 17.

In a sputtering device with this structure,
The wafer set in the load chamber 12 moves to the first sputtering chamber 13 via the intermediate chamber 21 with the gate valves 22a and 22b open. Subsequently, the wafer is moved from the first sputtering chamber 13 to the second sputtering chamber 14 with the gate valves 22c and 22d open. At this time, since the degree of vacuum in the first sputtering chamber 13 is set higher than that in the second sputtering chamber 14, particles etc. scattered during sputtering flow into the intermediate chamber 21. Thereafter, the wafer is transferred from the second sputtering chamber 14 to the intermediate chamber 19, the third sputtering chamber 15, the intermediate chamber 20, and the fourth sputtering chamber 1.
6, transported to the unloader chamber 17 via the intermediate chamber 21.

Therefore, the sputtering device according to the present invention has the first to fourth sputtering chambers 13, 14, 15,
Intermediate chambers 18, 19, 20 are provided between the intermediate chambers 16 and 16, and gate valves 22c to 22h having airtight properties are provided in the sputtering chamber, and the intermediate chambers 1
The degree of vacuum in sputtering chambers 8 to 20 is set higher than that in sputtering chambers 13 to 16. Therefore, particles generated during sputtering in a predetermined sputtering chamber are moved to an intermediate chamber with a high degree of vacuum, so that predetermined particles can be sputtered onto a wafer, and a wafer having desired characteristics can be obtained. Further, since each sputtering chamber 13 to 16 is completely partitioned off by a gate valve, sputtering can be performed in each sputtering chamber 13 to 16 under an appropriate pressure, thereby facilitating sputtering work.

In the above embodiments, the case of multilayer sputtering has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this, and a combination of reactive sputtering, bias sputtering, etc., or a combination of etching and sputtering, etc. is also possible.

Further, in the above embodiment, a case has been described in which there are four sputtering chambers, but of course the present invention is not limited to this.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described in detail above, according to the present invention, a wafer is sputtered or etched with predetermined particles to obtain a wafer with desired characteristics, and it is also possible to perform sputtering treatment under different pressure conditions in each vacuum processing chamber. We can provide a vacuum processing equipment with good quality.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of a sputtering apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of a conventional sputtering apparatus. 12...Load chamber, 13-16...Sputter chamber, 17...Unloader chamber, 18-21...Intermediate chamber, 22a-22j...Gate valve, 23,2
4...Exhaust port.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A plurality of vacuum processing chambers for performing film deposition or etching on wafers, each of which is provided with a hermetically sealed gate between the vacuum processing chambers, and which is larger than the vacuum processing chambers. A vacuum processing apparatus characterized by comprising an intermediate chamber with a high degree of vacuum and means for making the intermediate chamber a high vacuum. 2. The vacuum processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the vacuum processing chamber is a sputtering chamber.